Dance?
by Gilly.Flowers
Summary: Downing the rest of what little booze she had left, (setting her glass down with a clunk that was drowned out by Alice Cooper) she stood up- With the drum of the music behind her, Julia stood on the porch, one arm slung across herself, and her other's hand holding a cigarette.- "I'm a grown woman Barnabas,"- "Bastard," She spat at him, both hands wrapped tightly on her glass-


**A.N. I'm amazed no one has written this yet! I mean, ****_seriously! _****Well anyways, this is a little one-shot thingy of Julia and Barnabas- remember the part in the movie when Julia's sitting at that table, seat-dancing?! Well yep...XD So, at the end Barnabas sees Vicky outside and he's all like-"Okay well, that was weird what juss almost happened with Dr. Hoffman, but hey! Vicky looks like she needs a shoulder, right? Right? Right!"- and then he goes swaggering over to her and ****_Mwhaa! _****Well...I think this is probably my worst piece of writing XDD But it's only because it's 7:13 in the morning and I haven't slept since two days ago, and my back hurts, so yeah! Don't blame me, alright? Well..Yeah, its my fault so i guess you'll have to blame me, but you know what? Keep it inside yourself, alright? Alright! Enjoy!- Gillies.**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Dark Shadows or any of the characters. All rights go to Tim Burton and who ever might be the owner of Dark Shadows, okay? Okay!**_

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Julia sighed dramatically, swaying restlessly in her chair; running her hand down her stomach to smoothing out her dress. After downing the rest of what little booze she had left, (setting her glass down with a clunk that was drowned out by Alice Cooper) she stood up and- with a hand clenching the chair lest she should fall flat on her face in her slighty inebriated state- Julia snatched her pack of cigarettes up, eyeing the empty bottle of wine in the middle of the table. Straightening, Julia sashays around the crowd of dancing people and glittering lights, humming along to the music as she slipped out to the door to the yard.

With the drum of the music behind her, Julia stood on the porch, one arm slung across herself, and her other's hand holding a cigarette. The night was a wonderful summer's evening, and she leaned against the large pillars, taking a drag. Oh, it was so _peaceful_ and _quiet_ out here-

"My dear, what on _Earth_ are you possibly doing out here?" A voice asked from behind- making Julia gasp, spinning around and nearly dropping her cigarette.

_Barnabas._

"What?" She sighed exasperated; her heart thumping; her shoulders slumping down as she eyed the vampire standing before her.

"Why aren't you inside with everyone else? You're missing the Cooper woman's play." Barnabas said smiling, stepping towards her. Julia tilted her chin up, a hand on her hip.

"I'm a grown woman Barnabas; I'm not going to get _lost,_ if that's what you think." She huffed, smirking when he smiled bigger. He stuck out his elbow, straightening his back.

"Dr. Hoffman, I assure you I didn't think you couldn't handle yourself in... dire events. However, wouldn't you rather accompany me for a dance? _Inside?"_ Barnabas suggested, glancing around her as if he were expecting to see some demon lurking about in the grass.

Julia lifted her cigarette up to her face, brandishing it about."No. I'm _smoking_ Barnabas." She turned around to look out into the night once again, turning her back to the handsome man. Monster. Whatever.

He didn't say anything in reply; he merely walked over to stand by her side, his hands behind his back. She shot him a glance from the corner of her eye, taking a long drag.

After a while the silence that hung was too unbearable, and she sighed loudly. Julia stomped down the steps and dropped her cigarette on the pavement, twisting her foot over it before she wrapped her arms around herself and followed Barnabas back into the Manor.

"Stop smilin'," She grumbled, trying to force down her laughter as she took his arm and let him lead her back into the middle of the 'Happening.'

Julia pulled her arm out his, and went back over to her table. Someone had replaced her bottle- oh, wasn't that lovely of who ever did it? Julia poured herself a hefty glass, plopping down into her seat to watch the couples dance in front of her. She hummed, tipping back her drink.

"I thought you were going to pleasure me a dance." Julia jumped, her hand flying to her chest as she whipped around in her chair.

"Jesus! _Fuck_ Barnabas, would you _stop that?!_ I could've spilt my drink!" Julia yelled, glaring up at him as he snickered.

"My apologies, Dr. Hoffman. Now, stand up my dear, you're _going_ to dance with me." Barnabas smirked, pulling her glass away from her before she knew what was happening. Julia swore rather colorfully, on her feet and reaching for her glass just in time to catch it before Barnabas spilt it all over the floor.

"Bastard," She spat at him, both hands wrapped tightly on her glass as she downed it. Julia set the glass down louder than intended, and lifted her arms in a defeated shrug. "I...I don't dance, Barnabas." She whispered, looking out at the many other people, feeling as if everyone had heard her and were judging her as something pathetic. Judging her cruelly.

"Why not?" Barnabas asked, his tone surprising her with its sincere concern and gentleness. Julia shrugged, pulling at the hem of her dress.

"Well I _used_ too, when I was twenty, twenty-five, you know...And now that- that I'm no longer twenty, twenty-five- I just don't see the point anymore." She cleared her throat. And when she looked up, Barnabas was staring down at her with a sympathetic look. She suddenly felt very offensive.

"Anyways, I'm not going to dance with you Barnabas, so drop it." She snarled, turning to sit down at her table, but stopped in her tracks when a cold hand grasped her shoulder, spinning her back around.

"Julia...Please, may I have this dance?" He asked, his hand trailing down her arm until he had a hold on her hand, pulling her with him towards the others.

"_N-not_...On the dance floor." She said quietly, staring wide-eyed with her teeth clamped on her bottom lip, her gaze skimming over the dancer's heads. Barnabas liked the picture she made.

She led him in the direction of the door, standing in the gloomier part of the threshold as she cleared her throat. Barnabas rested his hand on her waist, hers on his shoulder, and he lifted their entwined fingers, starting to move in a slow waltz that wasn't exactly in sync with the music that rang muffled from where they stood.

"Why don't you dance anymore?" He asked, drawing her attention back to him.

"Because I'm old." Julia whispered, looking down at his buttons with a forced smile. It was different when there wasn't other, nosy people around; she was a lot more comfortable confessing this than she was before. And he merely nodded, bless him. Julia didn't really want to hear any-'Why do you have such irrational problems with your age?'- questions. Probably because she honestly didn't have any answers that anyone self-respecting would accept...

What she did know, however much it helps being ever so feeble, she knew that her age was a number that got bigger and bigger- and she can't say she likes the sound of it anymore.

After a while of swaying in comfortable silence, Julia rested her head on his shoulder; his hand snaking around her waist, pulling her closer. She let out a contented breath, her eyes fluttering shut against his stiffy jacket. It was nice not having to think of anything but him.

"Thank you Barnabas."

The music stopped. They stopped.

Barnabas stepped back, his hands sliding from her hand to brush her vivid orange hair out of her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. She smiled weakly up at him, feeling herself leaning inevitably towards him and his cold lips-

_"Mommy? Where's daddy?"_

Carolyn's voice froze Julia in her tracks, her breath catching and her eyes springing open. She dropped back onto her heels, taking a step away from Barnabas.

"Uh, okay- alright, well...Thanks for the dance, dear."

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**P.S. I hope there aren't any 'Julie's in here, 'cuz that's embarressing XD And is 'sashays' a word? -Gillies**


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